Lawyers hold MQM responsible for killings

LAHORE — The Lahore High Court Bar and the Lahore District Bar here yesterday held the Muttahida Qaumi Movement responsible for killing of lawyers in Karachi on Wednesday and called for a ban on what they branded as a ‘fascist’ organisation.
The lawyers also held a rally on The Mall both to protest the killings in Karachi and seek restoration of the deposed judges. Presidents of the Lahore High Court and Lahore District bars, Anwar Kemal and Manzoor Qadir, called upon the prime minister to order registration of a murder case against those who killed lawyers in Karachi.
The killers should be hanged to death at the Minar-e-Pakistan, they said. The lawyers also raised slogans against President Musharraf for sacking judges, subjecting the country to a dictatorial rule and patronising the MQM.
They also sought adequate financial assistance for the bereaved families of the victim lawyers. The lawyers’ representatives also bitterly criticised MQM chief Altaf Hussain and said he issued orders from London and violence started in Pakistan. They also alleged that a man who was responsible for the killing of some 100 people had been made governor of Sindh.
The LHC Bar president urged the ruling coalition to reinstate the sacked judges forthwith.
He said that instead of waiting for the 30-day deadline they had set for the purpose, the ruling coalition should immediately pass an order and allow the sacked judges to perform their judicial functions.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmed also held the MQM responsible for the killings and the preceding violence in Karachi.
At a news conference at Mansoora yesterday, he said everything that happened in Karachi was pre-planned.
He called for an inquiry into the roughing up of former Sindh chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and former federal minister Dr Sher Afgan.
The Jamaat chief alleged that the country was being consigned to anarchy and a conspiracy was being hatched against the democratic system.
Answering a question, he said Dr A.Q. Khan should be freed immediately. He said if the nuclear scientist wanted security, it should be according to his needs.
AFP adds: Thousands of lawyers protested across the country yesterday as tension mounted over the death of people in clashes between supporters and opponents of President Pervez Musharraf.
Both sides blamed a ‘conspiracy’ by the other for the Karachi violence.